As it is already very well-known, diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes is a chronic disease that takes place when the pancreas is no longer able to produce insulin, or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone made or produced by the pancreas, which is required and essential in the process of breaking down the glucose provided by the food we eat once it passes from the blood stream into the cells in the body in order to produce energy. Thus, whenever a body is not able to produce insulin or to use it effectively, the levels of glucose in the blood stream raises. Said high levels of glucose in the blood are associated with damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissues that may causes death of the patient.
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) provides valuable data concerning different aspects and effects of people suffering diabetes worldwide. For the year 2014 have been reported that (1) worldwide there were 387 million people with diabetes and it is estimated that by 2035, such amount will rise to 592 million; (2) diabetes has caused 4.9 million deaths in 2014 and every seven seconds a person dies from diabetes; (3) that the economic cost of health expenditure is extremely high, being informed for in 612 billion of dollars and (4) 77% of people with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries.
A high percent of people with diabetes eventually develops external sores or ulcers in the skin, particularly in their foot or legs, mainly due to two high risk factors, which are very common in diabetes patients: nerve damage, also known as neuropathy and blood vessels damage caused by peripheral vascular disease. Said high risk factors are conditions found more often in people with diabetes.
Once an ulcer is formed, it is very common that it becomes inflamed and infected by microorganisms. If not properly attended, such infection may expand and deepens in the affected area. In some instances, the infection may extend to the bone, causing osteomyelitis. Amputation of the affected foot or leg is regularly necessary due to several medical factors, such as persistency of the infection, chronic state of the ulcer, poor or inefficient antibiotic treatment, and lack of proper medication. Furthermore, social and economic conditions of the patient have been pointed out as factors having a positive impact in the progression of the ulcers due to the lack of resources to pay for proper, efficient and fast medical care. Such conditions may result in the amputation of the affected body area.
Once a patient suffers an amputation, his life quality is highly decreased as well as his independence and his ability to work, thus producing negative consequences in his psychological, economic and social aspects and reducing his life expectancy drastically.
An essential part of the treatment of infected ulcers is the use of topical anti infection therapy with the intention to eliminate pathogens or microorganisms, to reduce inflammation and to promote the wound healing process. In most cases, the topical anti infection active agent is delivered by means of pharmaceutical viscous carries that usually get sticks to the bandage or the external skin of the ulcer and that does not reduce the itching, inflammation and pain associated with the area of the ulcer.
Thus, there is a need for an effective treatment of infected ulcers particularly in diabetic patients.